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(No Model.) A 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1.

R. GORNALL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

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, 4Sheets-Sheet 2. R. GORNALL. A I STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 319,402. Patented June 2, 1885.

N. PETERS PllclcrLilhographar. Wuhingwn. D. (L

(No Model.) 4 SheetsShet 3.

R. GORNALL. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

No. 319,402. Patented Junez, 1885 11mm J Q (No Model.) 1 4 sheets -sheet 4.

' R. GORNALL.

STORE SERVICE APPARATUS.

Patented June 2, 1885.

Hill" III Warren S'rnrns Parent @rrree.

nicnnanconnant, or nanrrironn,MARYLAND, ASSIGNUR or ONE-HALF T enonen A. nummnrn, or SAME PLACE.

eroae seevaoe APPARATUS.

SDPEGIFKCATEUEI forming part. of Letters Patent No.3l9,4l92, dated June 2, 1885.

(No model.)

['0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Rica inn GORNALL, of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Store-Service Systems; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improvement upon the store-service apparatus granted to myself and George A. Dubreuil on the 13th day of May,

My present invention consists of means for bringing the cash-box or parcel-basket carried upon the endless wire down to the hand of the salesman and for returning it to the wire.

It consists, further, of animproved arrangement of the buffer mechanism and the endless wire, and, finally, of various details of con struction more or less connected with the features above enumerated.

The apparatus is designed to carry either cash or parcels in stores, and, like other apparatus of its kind, to perform the service of cash-boys.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the apparatus in side elevation in its relation to the cashier s desk and the sales mans counter. Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus at the salesmans end. Fig. 3 is a view of the cash-box and mechanism for holding it to the wire at one end of the cash-box bar. Fig. 4 is on the same scale as Fig. 8 of the means for attaching the other end of the cashboX bar to the wire. Fig. 5 is a perspective 3 5 View of the mechanism for lowering and raising the cash-box or parcel box or basket. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 7 avertical longitudinal section. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the details of the detachable mechanism 0 for holding the cash-box to the wire. Fig. 10 represents an end elevation of the supporting and driving wheel at the salemans end of the apparatus. Fig. 11 is a view of the upper part of this apparatus, showing more clearly 5 the bell mechanism on a little larger scale.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the wheel and buffers at the cashiers end of the apparatus.

The apparatus shown in these drawings in eludes a single endless wire, which is supported upon wheels, one at or near the cashiers desk and the other at or near the salesmans counter. Of these wheels that at the salesmans counter is connected with mechanism, and is utilized as a driving as well as a supporting wheel. The endless wire supports and moves. the cash- 5 5 boX or parcel-basket, no other supporting-wire being used in this connection. In this respect the apparatus islike that shown in the patent above specified. In an apparatus of this class, however, as is well known, it is desirable to locate the wire at such a distance above the floor of the room as to be above the heads of persons in the store, and at this height the salesman upon the floor cannot conveniently reach the cash-boX or basket. To remedy this, pull-down carriers have been devised; but as these are not convenient for my purpose I have devised an improved mechanism whereby the cash-box or parcel-basket is made toleave the wire and to descend upon a fixed curved track to a point convenient to the hand of the salesman. Referring to Fig. 1, in which the parts above referred to are fixed in their relation to each other, A represents the supportingwheelv over the cashiers desk, and B a supporting and driving wheel over the counter of the salesman.

The endless driving and carrying wire is shown at O.

. The hub of the wheel B is provided with a grooved pulley, I), connected to the lower pul ley, d, by means of a cord, 0, the latter being grasped by the salesman for the purpose of impelling the cash-box or parcel-basket back' and forth.

The cash-box is shown at F. Its particular construction is described hereinafter. It is not connected directly to the wire, but to an arm, G, which is pivoted to the bracket 9, directly connected to the wire 0. The other end of the arm G is connected to the wire G by means of springjaws H. These jaws clasp above the wire, and are adapted to be carried upon the wire until they reach the downwardlycurved track I, fixed at the end of the wire way and properly supported. The springjaws follow the wire to the upper end of this bayonet-joint.

track, where the wire passes or is threaded through an opening or eye in the upper end of the track, andas the jaws pass upon the track carry the box or parcelbasket to the hand of the salesman.

The particular construction of the parts above described are shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, and in Figs. 8 and 9. The arm G, I prefer to make of thin material for lightness, and to arrange it upon edge. The bracket 9 has ears 2, through which the wire 0 is threaded. Between these ears is placed a stem, h, the central portion of which is cut down and bored to receive the ends of the wire, which, after passing through the holes, may be twisted, as shown at 3, thus securing the ends of the wires, which may be drawn through and put under any necessary degree of tension.

I have found in practice'that as the mechanism is operated the wire has a tendency to turn, and if the cash box is rigidly connected to the wire it may be turned upside down by the turning or twisting of the wire upon which it is'carried. By using the bracket with the wire threaded through holes in the ears, the bracket is not affected by the turning or twisting of the wire in its movement back and forth.

The cash-box consists of a box, '5, and cover In, the box being attached to the cover by a A stud, 4., is set in each side of the box, and these fit into bayonet-slots formed in the cover. The cover is pivoted upon a bracket, 1, depending from the end of the arm G. It is pivoted by means of ascrewpivot, 6, which passes through the stem 7 of the box-cover, and through the lower end of the bracket. A pin, 8, is set in the bracket and projects into the curved slot in the stem of the box-cover, and this limits the swinging movement of the box upon thebracket 1, this movement allowing the box to maintain its proper position upon the fixed track, as shown in Fig. 3.

The jaws Hare shown more clearly in Figs. 8 and 9 in their relation to the wire and the track, which appear in these figures in crossseetion. These jaws are pivoted to the upper end of the bracket 1, and are pressed together by springs 10. Their upper ends are formed with astem and notch, as shown in Fig. 5, and interlock over the wire. (Shown in Fig. 9.) A small groove is made on the under face of the interlocking ends to fit over'the wire and hold it steadily in position.

The wire 0 is threaded through an eye in the upper end of a fixed track, I,' as shown more clearly in Fig. 7, so that the jaws,when closed over the wire, as shown in Fig. 9, are guided directly to the upper end of the fixed track. The end of the fixed track is made sufficiently narrow to enter the open space at the upper end of the closed beveled jaws; but this track widens from the end, so that the jaws are spread, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, and as the track goes down they follow it, holding onto the edge. The space between the separated ends is suffieient to allow them to pass the bracket'll, centrally placed upon the track and connecting it to the part of the frame-work which supports the wheel. On this track the jaws run down, as shown in Fig. 2. In order to prevent the jaws from separating permanently, I provide a leg, m, pivoted to one jaw at 12 and catching over a pin, 13, on the other, to which pin it is held by means of a spring, 14. An inclined rib, n, on the under side of the upper end of the fixed track, strikes the upper edge of the leg and presses it down out of engagement with the pin just before the jaws reach that part of the track wide enough to receive them. The end of the leg is prolonged, so as to bear upon the pin 13 when the jaws are open and to hold the leg in proper position for engagement with the pin when the jaws go together upon the return of the bracket. Upon the return of the jaws with the box or basket their springs 10 close them after they have passed together to the junction of the wire with the end of the track, and they close.

over the wire and pass upon it, thus sustaining the box or basket close to the wire.

' I have shown the box as hung to the arm G close to the end; but it may be connected to the arm at some intermediate point, if it be deemed advisable to distribute the weight over a great extent of the wire.

The wheel B is supported in asuitable frame, 0, Figs. 2 and 10, which has a socket, 0, slipped over and fitting upon the bolt 15 of the bracket P, fixed to any suitable support in the room. The bolt is set in perpendicular position, so that the frame 0 may turn upon it to properly align the wheel, and the frame is held to the bolt by set-screws 16. To the top of this frame is fixed a bell, p, the hammer of which,

IOC.

17, is pivoted on a standard on the top of the frame of the wheel. The hammer-arm is fixed to the pivoting-pin, and on this pin is hung an IIO arm, 18, pronged to straddle the wire 0 and connected to the pivoting-pin by a jack-knife joint, so that the arm will swing on the pin toward the bell, and will operate and lift the hammer-arm when moved in an opposite direction.

On the upper limb of the endless wire is fixed a bead, r, a'little wider than the slot in the pronged arm 18. This bead is so set upon the wire that when the cash-box is approaching the cashier the bead will pass under the pronged arm to'or upon the wheel B. The cashier does not require notice from the bell when the cash-box is approaching him, his seat being elevated and sufficiently near to the box as'it' approaches; but notice that the box is ready to return from the cashier is required by the salesman.

The arrangement above described is such that the cashier, after making change and depositing it in the box,has only to push the box a little way from him, this causing the bead r .to-return and strike against the arm18, pushing it out sufficiently before it slips under the slotted end to lift the hammer-arm, which, by means of a suitable spring, is caused to strike the bell, and as the bell islocated on the wheelframe over the salesman, it notifies him of the fact that the cash is ready to return, and he can then operate the driving-wheel B, and bring back the cash-box to its station.

In the apparatus herein shown it is desir' able to avoid the use of stops on the bracket at the salesmans end of the apparatus, and the use of the arm G makes it practicable to locate the wheel at the eashiers end at a distance back of the cashiers desk. To meet these conditions I have devised an improved arrangement of buffer. (Shown in Figs. land 12.) The wheel A is mounted upon a frame,

supported upon any convenient bracket or bar back of the eashiers desk. Upon this bracket, above and below the wheel, I have combined buffers s in line with the upper and lower limbs of the endless wire. These buffers consist of cylinders 20, in which workpistons having piston-rods 21 projecting one direct] y over and the other directly under the wire 0. These piston-rods have heads 22,slotted to ad mit the wire, which are held in by pins 23. A light spring, 21, serves to return the piston, which works in the cylinder approximately air-tight, so that the elasticity of the air is utilized. The cylinders are fixed directly to the rear cross-bar of the frame, and the pistonrods may extend forward over the wheel any convenient distance to be reached by the stops adapted to strike against the head. One of these stops is the end of the bracket which is widened by a flange, 9, to give proper surface to strike against the lower head on the pistorrrod. The upper head is struck by a stop, (1, fixed at a proper point on the upper part of the wire. 1 It is not designed that the springs 24 shall perform any substantial work, excepting that of returning the piston and its red after the pressure has been removed. I

The upper end of the fixed track I may be held upon the lower part of the wheel-frame, as at 25 26. The lower end may be bolted to a standard, 2', set upon the counter, or may be fixed directly to the counter itself.

In order to furnish a convenient adjustable attachment for the lower wheel, d, which carries the driving-cord, I place upon the stand ard t or upon the lower end of the track I a vertical adjustable arm, a, held bya setscrew, 27. In the other end of this is set the shank of the frame that carries the pulley d, and this may be turned down to give the proper ten sion by the thumb-nut o.

The cash-box F is of an improved construction. The cover and upper part of the box are cylindrical, and are joined to each other by the bayonet joint heretofore described. The box may be pushed up into the groove and turned until the pin 4 comes opposite small notches in the ends of the slot. The cover thus furnishes at the same time a'mcans for attachment. The cover being connected directly by a stem to its supporting-bracket, a handle is .and adapted to operate upon cashiers desk being in the rear of the cashier, the space about him is not obstructed.

The cash-box or basket is carried along by the wire to the connections of the arm G with the wire itself, and the wire,when moved one way, pushes the box or basket down the inclined fixed way,and when moved in the other direction draws it up off from the fixed way.

I claim as my invention 1. In a cash and parcel carrier, an endless wire mounted upon supporting and driving wheels, and carrying a box or basket detachahly connected to the wire, in combination with a fixed inclined track at one end,whereby the box or basket may be caused to descend, substantially as described.

2. In combination with an endless wire and its supporting and driving wheels, an arm pivoted to said wire carrying the box or basket, and provided at the free end with jaws adapted to close over the wire,and a fixed way having its upper end arranged to receive the jaws and to detach them from the wire, substantially as described.

3. In combination with an endless wire and its supporting and driving wheels, the arm G, having one end pivoted to the wire, and the other end provided with jaws adapted to close over the wire, said arm carrying the box or basket, the fixed track I, having its upper end provided with an eye to receive the wire and adapted to open the jaws and to allow said jaws to pass with the basket or box down said track, all substantially as described.

4. In combination with the frame of the driving-wheel B, the track I, fixed to said frame and depending therefrom toward the counter, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the driving-wheel B and its grooved pulley b, the pulley d, eonneeted with an adjustable bracket, to, on the standard or track, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the driving-wheel B, the supportingwheel A, the endless wire 0, and a box or basket carried thereon, with the buffers 8, arranged one above and the other below the wheel A, and adapted to operate upon the stops of the wire, substantially as described.

7 Combined with the frame of the wheel A, the buffers consisting of the cylinders 20, the piston and piston-rods 21, and their heads 22, arranged in the described relation to the wires, the stops on the wires, substantially as described.

8. The frame supporting the wheel B, having an eye fitted to the bolt of the bracket adjustably and held thereon by a set-screw, substantially as described. A Y

9. In a cash and parcel carrying apparatus, the combination, with an endless way having a carrierthereon and means to propel the same, of a buffer mechanism arranged at one end of the way and adapted to stop the car or carrier both at the salesmans counter and the cashiers desk, substantially as described.

10. In a cash and parcel carrying apparatus, the combination, with an endless way having a carrier thereon and means to propel the same, of a buffer mechanism arranged at one end of the way in line with the upper and lower wire of the same, and stops 9 and q, secured, respectively, to the lower and upper wire of said way and adapted to abut against the said buffer mechanism, whereby the carrier is arrested in both directions of its movement at one end of the line, substantially as described. 7

11. In a cash and parcel carrying apparatus, the combination, with'an endless way, of an arm pivoted thereto at one end and supporting a cap or cover, 70, at the opposite end, and a cup or cash-receptacle adapted to be connected thereto, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with the fixed track I and the endless supporting and impelling wire, of the arm G, having the jaws H and spring-leg m, substantially asdescribed.

13. The combination, with the supporting and impelling wire of the track I, having wedge-shaped portion and rib n, of the arm G, carrying jaws H, and the spring-leg m on said jaws, adapted to be operated upon by the rib a, substantially as described.

14. A store-service apparatus consisting of an endless supporting and driving wire mounted on suitable wheels, an arm pivoted to the lower wire atone end and supporting the cash or parcel receptacle at the other, the said arm being detachably connected to the wire at this end, buffers placed at one end of the way to stop the carrier, whether going in one direction or the other, by means of stops secured to the upper and lower wire of the way, a fixed track at the salesmans counter in line with the way and curving downward, adapted' to receive and detach the end of the arm G from the traveling wire-and lower it to the hand of the salesman, and means for driving the carrier from the one end of the way to the other, all substantially as described.

15;, 'In a store-service apparatus, the combination, with an endless wire, of a supporting-bracket for the cash or parcel carrier, consisting of a bracket, g, loose on the wire, and a central piece, h, fixed to the wire between the ends of the bracket substantially as de scribed.

16. In a store-service apparatus, the combination, with a way and a curved track at one end of the way, of the bar G, pivoted to the way at one end and supporting the cash or parcel receptacle at the other, the upper part of said receptacle being pivoted to the bar G, so that it always retains a horizontal position without regard to the position of the said bar G, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD GORNALL.

Witnesses:

PH. H. HOFFMAN, V THos. IRELAND ELLIOTT. 

